At least one person was killed and a half a dozen wounded in a northern Somali city of Las Anod as anti-Somaliland protests turned violent

The protests started around 11am Monday after local demonstrators began burning tires and closing off roads.Security forces loyal to Somaliland, a separatist region in northwest Somalia, began fighting back the rioters and the situation soon turned violent.Local sources reported that at least two police vehicles were burned, with medical workers reportedly treating six wounded civilians.Protesters chanted anti-Somaliland slogans and demanded the withdrawal of Somaliland troops, who militarily seized control of Las Anod in Oct. 2007 as Puntland troops withdrew.Somaliland and Puntland, two regions in northern Somalia, have disputed violently over control of Sool and Sanaag regions since 2002, with Las Anod town becoming the epicenter of their dispute.Somaliland-appointed governor of Sool region, Mr. Abdullahi Jama Dirie, confirmed the violent protests to BBC Somali Service.He noted that one Somaliland police vehicle was burned, but stated that "no one was killed" during the protests. According to Mr. Dirie, five civilians were wounded.Furthermore, he stated that 118 persons arrested by police during the protests were released Monday afternoon.Residents of Las Anod have protested several times against the presence of Somaliland forces inside the town. Residents oppose Somaliland's separatist agenda, according to experts and observers.Meanwhile, Monday's protests coincide with violent clashes between Somaliland troops and a rebel group Ayn region in the outskirts of Buhodle town near the Ethiopian border. At least five people including Somaliland soldiers were killed during the armed clashes in Kalshale village, according to local reports.Located in northwest Somalia, Somaliland unilaterally declared independence from the rest of Somalia in 1991 but has not been recognized internationally.

Mogadishu — Al shabaab, which declared with its allegiance, on Sunday shot and killed a Somali man they charged with working with American government.
With the presence of more local people, masked Al shabaab fighters executed 44 year old man in a square in Mogadishu.
The chairman of Al shabaab in Banadir region Sheikh Ali Mohammed Hussein said that Ahmed Ali Hussein admitted working with US's Federal Bureau Investigation, saying that he is the enemy of Allah.
For his part, Sheikh Omar, Al shabaab judge in Mogadishu said that they had clear evidences showing the murdered man was a worker to FBI.
It is not the first time, Al shabaab carries out executions against people it had accused of spying to the Somalia and Ethiopian governments.

A 63-year-old man arrested with illegal fireworks outside a Detroit-area mosque reportedly threatened to do harm to a mosque ahead of his arrest, news reports indicate.Roger Stockham of California remained in custody Sunday after being arrested last Monday outside Dearborn's Islamic Center of America, one of the country's largest mosques.Stockham was arraigned Wednesday on charges of false report or threat of terrorism and possession of bombs with unlawful intent. He faces 15 years for the explosives charge and 20 years for the threat charge.

Dawud Walid, head of the Michigan branch of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), told the Detroit News the investigation began when Stockham was allegedly overheard at a Detroit bar saying he planned to do damage to a mosque in Dearborn.Dearborn police fanned out around the city's mosques, finding Stockman in his car outside the Islamic Center of America, where police say he was in possession of "class C explosives" -- evidently a cache of illegal fireworks. more

This Michigan mosque is a beautiful testament to the religious tolerance of America!

ADDIS ABABA, Jan 31 (Reuters) - An east African regional bloc called on Monday for Somalia's parliament to have its term extended beyond its August deadline and be tasked with deciding the fate of the interim government.At the same meeting on the sidelines of an African Union (AU) summit, Jean Ping, chairman of the AU Commission, accused Somalia's Transitional Federal Government (TFG) of "non performance" and making little headway in restoring stability.An Islamist insurgency has seen the government do little more than battle for survival, while tens of thousands of civilians have been killed over the past four years.Under the terms of a 2009 deal, the TFG's mandate expires on Aug. 20, by which time it should have enacted a new constitution and held a parliamentary election."The Assembly reached a consensus on the urgent need to extend the term of the current Transitional Federal Parliament while the remaining political dispensation be handled by the people of Somalia," the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) said in a statement.A senior IGAD source said that meant parliament would decide whether to elect a new leader or allow President Sheikh Sharif Ahmed to remain in office and form a new government.
Somalia's foreign minister told reporters at the summit that the two-month old government headed by Prime Minister Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed had made security gains in the capital Mogadishu and in the fight against corruption."What we need to focus on is not the mandate of the government, the issues of procedure ... but on what is actually gathering momentum," said the minister, Mohamed Abdullahi Omaar.
Omaar said the TFG's future would be determined by Somalis. Cabinet, he said, would consult the population, submit a proposal to parliament and negotiations would ensue.

FORCES CLASH

But the IGAD source said its members had rejected a request from the Somali delegation that the term of the president, prime minister and speaker of parliament be extended.It was not immediately clear how long parliament's term would be prolonged for.Underscoring the insecurity in the anarchic country, police and residents of a densely populated section of Mogadishu said a clash between government intelligence officers and police officers had killed some 20 people.It was not immediately clear what caused the clash, but government forces have in the past fought each other due to political and clan rivalry.Western intelligence agencies say Somalia has become a hotspot for foreign jihadists bent on destabilising the region.Apart from signing a peace deal with the moderate sufi militia group Ahlu Sunna, Ahmed's administration had failed to persuade other militants to lay down arms, Ping said."This non-performance ... has impacted negatively on perception of (the TFG's) legitimacy and credibility, both domestically and internationally," Ping told the meeting attended by President Ahmed.The United Nations last week warned Somalia against unilaterally deciding on the shape of the next administration.The U.N. Security Council agreed last month that the AU peacekeeping force could be increased to 12,000 troops."We now need to rapidly generate and deploy the new troops recently authorised by the Security Council, and give the force the technical, logistical and financial support it needs to do its work," U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon told the meeting. (Additional reporting by Abdi Sheikh in Mogadishu; Editing by George Obulutsa and Mark Trevelyan)

IN 1969, as a member of the presidential commission appointed to consider replacing the draft with an all-volunteer military, the great economist Milton Friedman had a famous exchange with General William Westmoreland, the US commander in Vietnam. Westmoreland strongly supported the draft, and told the commission that he didn’t want to command an army of mercenaries.

“General,’’ Friedman interrupted, “would you rather command an army of slaves?’’ Replied Westmoreland indignantly, “I don’t like to hear our patriotic draftees referred to as slaves.’’ Friedman shot back: “I don’t like to hear our patriotic volunteers referred to as mercenaries.’’

The economist pressed his point. “If they are mercenaries,’’ he told Westmoreland, “then I, sir, am a mercenary professor, and you, sir, are a mercenary general; we are served by mercenary physicians, we use a mercenary lawyer, and we get our meat from a mercenary butcher.’’

What brings that colloquy to mind is a report in the New York Times that the government of Somalia is being urged to hire Saracen International, “a controversial South African mercenary firm,’’ to protect Somali officials and help fight pirates and Islamic militants. Erik Prince, the former US Navy SEAL who created Blackwater Worldwide, another private military firm, has been involved in brokering the arrangement. The story was headlined “Blackwater Founder Said to Back Mercenaries,’’ and its disapproving tone was hard to miss.

That negative publicity may have undone the deal. The Times subsequently reported that Somali authorities “have cooled to the idea’’ of hiring private militiamen. “We need help,’’ a government official was quoted as saying, “but we don’t want mercenaries.’’

Somalia certainly does need help. It is one of the world’s most unstable and violent countries. It has been wracked for years by bloody insurgencies, and the central government, what there is of it, is under constant assault by al-Shabab, a lethal Islamist movement closely tied to Al Qaeda. Pirates plying the waters off Somalia’s shores menace international shipping.

The place is a hellhole, and each day that it remains one is another day of death and devastation for more innocent victims. Who is going to help them? The 8,000 peacekeeping troops sent in by the UN are inadequate to the job. “Western militaries have long feared to tread’’ there, as even the Times acknowledges. So why shouldn’t the Somali government turn to private militias for the help it so desperately needs?

It is fashionable to disparage mercenaries as thugs for hire, but private-sector warriors are as old as combat itself. Americans may dimly remember learning about the Hessian mercenaries who fought for the British during the American Revolution, but other mercenaries fought for American independence. Military historian Max Boot points out that many mercenaries have been heroes of American history. Among them are John Paul Jones, who became an admiral in the Russian Navy; the Pinkerton security firm, which during the Civil War supplied intelligence to the Union and personal protection for Abraham Lincoln; the Lafayette Escadrille, a squadron of American airmen who fought for France in World War I; and the Montagnards, the indigenous tribesmen who fought alongside American soldiers during the war in Vietnam.

Given such honorable examples, asks Boot, why should it be difficult “to imagine that mercenaries today could be equally useful?’’ He has long advocated hiring mercenaries to end the terror and genocide in Darfur. Several firms have offered their services, but so far no government, international organization, or philanthropist has shown any interest.

This is not an abstract argument. When Rwanda erupted in mass-murder in 1994, the private military firm Executive Outcomes offered to stop the slaughter for $150 million, Newsweek reported in 2003. The Clinton administration turned down the offer. In the ensuing carnage, some 800,000 Rwandans were killed.

In 1995, by contrast, the government of Sierra Leone hired Executive Outcomes to put down a savage rebellion by the brutal Revolutionary United Front. Before long the company had quelled the uprising and driven the rebels out. It may not be politically correct to suggest letting mercenaries deal with humanitarian nightmares like Somalia and Darfur. But political correctness doesn’t save lives. Sending in mercenaries would.

Those who are considered elite in Somalia join a gang of pirates, and pirates are the most sought after groom among Somali women, according to a source in Seoul.
As pirates get ransoms of $2million(S$2.6 million) on average, according to a BBC report in 2008, the rewards which pirate gang members receive, can exceed the average annual income of a developed country, the source said.The Financial Times reported that the average ransom Somali pirates fetched in 2010 was $5,400,000, citing One Earth Future, non-governmental organization for global governance.The Financial Times reported that the average ransom Somali pirates fetched in 2010 was $5,400,000, citing One Earth Future, non-governmental organization for global
Those who can read, and handle technical gadgets become pirates who need those skills in their operations.
BBC Somalia analyst Mohamed Mohamed said in the BBC report that pirate gangs consist of three different types of member: Ex-fisherman, the brains of the operation; ex-militiamen, the muscle; technical experts, computer geeks who know how to operate high-tech equipment such as satellite phones, GPS and military hardware.

5 Somali pirates under investigation
Five Somali pirates that have been brought to Seoul partly admitted their involvement in the hijacking of the 11,500-ton Samho Jewelry in the Arabian Sea on Jan. 15. But they denied shooting the ship’s captain, investigators said Sunday.

“We showed the pirates the ladder and speed boat that were used in hijacking the freighter. We asked them whether they used them, and they replied they did,” an official of the special investigation team led by the Korean Coast Guard was quoted as saying by Yonhap News Agency.

The development came hours after the team began questioning the pirates on charges of hijacking the chemical carrier, holding the crew hostage and shooting the captain Seok Hae-kyun.

The five men are reportedly cooperating with the probe but are adamantly denying the charges of shooting the captain.

Earlier, a Busan court approved the arrest of the pirates, who were captured during the recent rescue operation of the freighter in the Arabian Sea. The five were brought to the southern port city at 4:18 a.m. on a royal jet belonging to the United Arab Emirates.

The 58-year-old captain was seriously wounded and is currently receiving treatment at a hospital in Suwon, south of Seoul. The ship’s other 20 crewmembers were rescued unscathed, while the remaining eight Somali pirates were killed.

The pirates, whose ages range between 19 and 25, entered the court dressed in winter clothes wearing sneakers provided by the Korean Navy.

The names of the five Somali nationals are Serum Abdullah, Ali Abdullah, Ali Abukad-Aeman, Brallat Aul and Arai Mahomed, according to Yonhap.

Despite the beginning of Korea’s first prosecution of suspected Somali pirates, there was skepticism about penalizing them due to the complex legal process and language barrier.

If the five pirates are found to be guilty of the attempted murder of the captain, the hijacking and holding the 21 sailors hostage for ransom, the court could sentence them to life in prison.

Coast Guard investigators said they had already secured enough evidence, including seven Korean sailors’ statements and video clips capturing the entire military operation that can be used to prove the pirates’ guilt.

If the pirates are not cooperative, they plan to dispatch a team of investigators to Oman to question the Korean sailors aboard the chemical carrier to get further evidence. The latter are still aboard the Samho Jewelry as the Omani authorities will not let the ship dock as it still has the bodies of the eight dead pirates on board.

The language barrier is widely cited as a primary setback to the prosecution. The Coast Guard hired a Somali interpreter who can also speak English fluently and a local national to translate Korean into English, and vice versa to facilitate the investigation.

Experts pointed out that the consecutive interpretation during the investigation and trial may make it difficult for investigators to effectively interrogate the Somali men.

Under the U.N. Convention on the Law of the Sea, sovereign nations are entitled to seize and prosecute pirates. But many governments send the pirates to a third country such as Kenya because of difficulty in prosecuting them.

The nations that signed the agreements for bringing pirates to justice in the African nation on their behalf include the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, China and Denmark. These nations are committed to giving financial support to Kenya to cover the costs needed for the investigation and trial.

Last year, Kenya announced that it would no longer take on any more prosecution of pirates as some nations have failed to keep their word

KAMPALA, Uganda—The security situation in war-torn Somalia is improving thanks to the efforts of Ugandan and Burundian troops under the African Union peace-keeping mission in Somalia, or AMISOM, the Ugandan presidency said Saturday, citing Somalia's president, Sharif Sheikh Ahmed.
A Ugandan presidential spokeswoman quoted Mr. Ahmed, currently on a state visit to Uganda, as saying that the efforts of Ugandan troops continue to pay off in the fight against the al Qaeda-inspired al Shabab militants, who are fighting to topple Somalia's Transitional Federal government.
"[The] visiting Somali president briefed his host on developments in his country, saying that the situation was getting better...He also saluted President [Yoweri] Museveni for his exceptional role in the restoration of peace in Somalia," she said.
Since last year, Uganda has had at least 4,500 peacekeeping troops in Somalia. Last week, Uganda deployed an extra 1,800 troops to bolster AMISOM. Despite troop pledges from other African states, only Uganda and Burundi have so far sent troops to Somalia.
Since August last year, Ugandan troops have been on the offensive against the al Shabab militants who claimed responsibility for the July 11 terror attacks in Kampala that left at least 79 people dead.
The Ugandan president said last year that Ugandan troops would continue fighting the al Shabab until they are routed out of Somalia, following the July 11 attacks.
Meanwhile, the al Shabab continue to warn of more terror strikes in Uganda and Burundi. The American Embassy in Uganda this week warned its citizens that local terror groups are interested in attacking American interests. The embassy said it is particularly concerned about the month of February because Uganda will be holding its presidential and parliamentary elections at that time.
During the July 11 attacks, the terrorists targeted an Ethiopian restaurant, popular with foreigners. The strike left one American dead and several others injured. WSJ

African Union wants attack mandate for Somalia force

ADDIS ABABA, Jan 29 (Reuters) - The African Union's (AU) peacekeeping force in Somalia is ready to attack militants bent on toppling the government should it receive authorisation from the United Nations, the head of the body said on Saturday. A senior AU source said African leaders would discuss on Sunday whether to lodge a formal request with the United Nations to change the mandate to an attacking one from peacekeeping. Tens of thousands of civilians have been killed over the past four years in fighting that has seen the rebels seize control of about half the capital Mogadishu and swathes of southern and central Somalia. Western spy agencies say the country has becom a haven for foreign jihadists and Somalia's al Shabaab rebels claimed responsibility for bombs in Uganda that killed scores in July. "We are ready to attack if we have permission from the United Nations' Security Council," Jean Ping, chairman of the African Union Commission, told a news conference in Ethiopia. Ping said the AU had requested five helicopters for AMISOM. The senior AU source said these would be helicopter gunships and their addition to AMISOM'S armoury would significantly bolster its attack capabilities. Ping also said Guinea had committed to deploying one or two batallions to the lawless country. Last month, the U.N. Security Council approved an extra 4,000 peacekeepers for Somalia to bolster the 8,000-strong force in Mogadishu. "In the coming months, we have to move to that ceiling of 12,000 troops," said Ping. Uganda, which forms the backbone of AMISOM, has said it could contribute all the soldiers needed to take the force up to the AU's desired level of 20,000 but is looking for someone else to foot the bill. Horn of Africa analysts say the rebels would have likely ousted Somalia's interim government, whose mandate ends in August, had it not been supported by AMISOM troops. The U.N. acknowleged this week the government would miss the deadline to adopt a new constitution and hold general elections, raising questions over how to form the next administration. (Reporting by Richard Lough; Editing by David Clarke/Maria Golovnina)

Saturday, January 29, 2011

Despite international economic crisis, the Puntland Sea Piracy and human trafficking schemes are on the rise; their shares are being sold in skyrocketing prices in the unofficial stock market of Garoowe, the capital of Puntland. This is happening under the watch and stealthy encouragement of the international community. In the long run, these highly money-spinning Puntland businesses can be replicated by other organized criminal gangs elsewhere around the world and can potentially bring the international peace, trade and tourism into their knees. Besides the international problems the Puntland cartels are also detrimental to the livelihood, stability and peace of the peoples in the Horn of Africa from Djibouti to Tanzania and all the countries in between. The Puntland mafia is headed by Mr. Abdurrahman Mohamud Faroole, the current president of Puntland, a self- declared autonomous Somalia region formerly known as Majeertenia region.The whole world is now familiar with the Puntland pirate stories, which terrorize the international waters. The elderly British couple who were taken hostages at a gun point from international waters was a front page story in almost all the news papers around the world. This unfortunate couple invested their life savings on a modest yacht and planned to sail peacefully in the Indian Ocean, but their life long dreams came to a halt after they were taken hostage by the Puntland cartel. The story of this couple got a lot of media attention, but it is not the only human havoc caused by the Puntland pirates.

There was barely media coverage on the tens of thousands of shipping crews in the 1,118 ships that were taken hostage in 2010 alone by the Puntland pirate cartel. To the contrary, the international media concentrates on the ships and their cargo, but forgets to report on the misery of these poor sailors. An equally important subject that does not get media exposure is the cost hike of all goods and services to the international consumers as consequence of the increase in cost of insurance and service delays, caused by that notorious Puntland cartel.
Other stories that are never told are the effects of piracy and human trafficking on the people of the Horn of Africa, mainly the Ethiopians and the Southern Somalians. The Puntland Mafia thrives on taking advantage of the most vulnerable members from those poverty and civil war incapacitated societies. There are hundreds of young men, women and children who are crowded into small boats and inhumanly put into sea on a broad day light in Bossaso port. These individuals pay their life savings to the Puntland’s Faroole Mafia and in exchange they are promised a better future across the red sea in Yemen and in the oil-rich countries in the Arabian Gulf. The majorities of these victims are thrown over board and they give up the ghost before they set foot on their final destinations.
The people of Puntland are not immune to the side effects of piracy and human trafficking; they equally endure the cruelty of this mafia. As consequence of the immoral behavior of the Faroole mafia, many young Puntland women are raped and their futures destroyed by the pirates, who are sexually promiscuous and are high on drugs, Kat and alcohol. Many of these girls have contracted HIV-AIDS. The piracy introduced HIV- AIDS in Puntland was reported extensively by Universal TV, a Somali run TV that operates in London.
The Puntland mafia is trying to blackmail Somaliland to stop its fight against sea piracy. The Faroole Mafia sees the neighboring Republic of Somaliland as a threat to its piracy cartel, because Somaliland dealt effectively with the sea pirates who tried to seize ships along its waters and for that reason Faroole is consistently waging a terrorist war against Somaliland. Dozens of Somaliland citizens were killed by the Puntland Para-military terrorist group known as SSC.
The Puntland mafia activities are not confined only to the above stated issues, but it also includes arms smuggling for the Ogaden Ethiopian insurgents. The Faroole administration sees Ogadenia as a future gold-lying hen, because Ogadenia is said to be rich with oil and natural gas and the eastern Ogaden population hails from the same Darood clan as the Majerteens- the sub clan of Faroole.
The Puntland aggression does not end there but it has far reaching ambitious plans, it wants to bring all Somali inhabited territories in the Horn of Africa under its control through terrorism and intimidation. Even the Puntland ally, the TFG of Somalia is not exempted from the power expansion of Puntland. The transitional Federal Government of Somalia, who controls few blocks in Mogadishu, is constantly blackmailed to give more concessions to the Puntland cartel. Just this week the Puntland cartel has threatened to cut ties with the TFG of Somalia unless their unrealistic demands are met. Running the TFG of Somalia from Garoowe through remote control is one of their goals.
The international community has put in place a strong navel watch on the Somalia coast, but their efficacy is minimal. The reason why this strong naval force is not able to work and stop Puntland sea pirates and human trafficking is simply because there is no international desire to uproot the source of the piracy, the international community gives a symptomatic treatment to an illness that requires an all out panacea. We can even say that the international community is playing a covert supportive role for the Puntland cartel. Puntland receives development assistance, a generous budget to fight sea piracy and even more money to rehabilitate sea pirates. Puntland spends most of these grants on more boats and equipment to upgrade the capabilities of its fleet of boats and it is continuously expanding its reach beyond the Somalia coast. There were reports that ships have been snatch more recently from the Sultanate of Oman waters and as far as waters very close to India. To make a bad situation even worst, some countries have paid hefty amount of monies to Puntland to hire a South African mercenary company to train its forces.
To bring this inhumane saga to an end, the international community should take the following steps:

Faroole and his lieutenants must be charged with terrorism, human trafficking and sea piracy.

All the assets of the sea pirates must be seized and transformed into schools, hospitals and orphanages to benefit the victims of piracy and human trafficking.

The leaders of the SSC, who frequent the European and North American capitals for the purpose of fund raising, must also be charged with terrorism.

Somaliland and Ethiopia must work together and eliminate all those who try to seize power through terrorism.

The Arabian Gulf countries and Yemen must work closely with Somaliland to stop human trafficking to their countries.

The Somaliland security forces must be better trained and equipped to fight against terrorism, human trafficking and sea piracy.

Friday, January 28, 2011

One of the well known Al Shabaab leaders has been injured in battle on Tuesday. Artan Mohamed Adde, a spokesman for Al Shabaab was injured during fighting in the Somali capital Mogadishu.
Artan Adde was injured when fighting together with other Al Shabaab extremists in the Hodan district of Mogadishu on Tuesday.
Al Shabaab troops are continuously fighting against the Transitional Federal Government and African Union peacekeepers in Mogadishu.
Sources from Al Shabaab told the press that the Al Shabaab spokesman suffered a large wound in the lower part of the body.
The injuries of the spokesman could affect Al Shabaab for he is responsible for the production and distribution of propaganda to the media in their fight against the TFG and African Union peacekeepers.Hassan Ali Gesey is an experienced correspondent in Mogadishu, Somalia

update on Breaking news: Somalia May Cut Ties to Mercenary Firm
MOGADISHU, Somalia – Somalia's government decided on Thursday to cancel an agreement with a private security company linked to the founder of Blackwater Worldwide to train Somali forces to go after pirates and insurgents, a senior official said.
Deputy Security Minister Ibrahim Mohamed Yarow told The Associated Press that the Cabinet, meeting behind closed doors, ended the agreement with Saracen International in a decision he said is "irrevocable."
The AP reported last week that Erik Prince, whose former company Blackwater Worldwide became synonymous with the use of private U.S. security forces running amok in Iraq and Afghanistan, had quietly taken on a new role in the project to train troops in lawless Somalia. Blackwater guards were charged with killing 14 civilians in 2007 in the Iraqi capital.
Yarow said his government, which controls only part of Mogadishu in a country that has seen mostly anarchy for two decades, wanted assistance, but only from companies with distinguished records.
"The Cabinet has today overwhelmingly voted against Saracen International," Yarrow said.
Lafras Luitingh, the chief operating officer of Beirut-registered Saracen International, did not immediately return phone calls or text messages from AP seeking comment.
Yarow said the contract had also envisioned reviving social services in Mogadishu, Somalia's capital which has been heavily damaged by ongoing fighting, including building health facilities.
On Jan. 21, a day after the AP report appeared, U.S. State Department spokesman P.J. Crowley told reporters in Washington that the United States was "concerned about the lack of transparency regarding Saracen's funding, its objectives and its scope."
Crowley said the U.S. had made these concerns known to Somali officials.
Luitingh had told AP that his company signed a contract with the Somali government in March. He declined to say then whether Prince was involved in the project and said he was not part of Saracen. But a person familiar with the project and an intelligence report seen by AP said Prince was involved in the multimillion-dollar program financed by several Arab countries, including the United Arab Emirates.
It aimed to mobilize some 2,000 Somali recruits to fight Somali pirates who are terrorizing mariners sailing far off the African coast. The force was also to go after a warlord linked to Islamist insurgents, one official said.
Blackwater gained a notorious reputation in Washington after a series of incidents.
A U.S. federal judge threw out the charges related to the 2007 Baghdad shootings on the grounds that the defendants' constitutional rights were violated. Last year, Iraq's Interior Ministry gave all contractors who had worked with Blackwater at the time of the shooting one week to get out of the country or face arrest for visa violations.
The European Union is training about 2,000 Somali soldiers with U.S. support, and an African Union force of 8,000 Ugandan and Burundian peacekeepers is propping up the government.
Prince, now based in the United Arab Emirates, is no longer with Blackwater, now known as Xe Services. He has stoutly defended the company, telling Vanity Fair magazine that "when it became politically expedient to do so, someone threw me under the bus."
Since the signing of the Saracen contracts, a new Somali government took office and appointed a panel to investigate the deal and others, Minister of Information Abdulkareem Jama said earlier this month.
The U.N. is quietly investigating whether the Somalia projects have broken the blanket embargo on arms supplies to Somali factions. Somali region defies fed gov't over Saracen deal

Thursday, January 27, 2011

Recently, Somalia’s political scene has been dominated by the statement emanating from the Puntland Administration regarding its withdrawal from the TFG. We watched and listened as words were exchanged between the TFG and Puntland. What were the exact reasons behind the breakdown of the relations between Garowe and Mogadishu? Did the public outburst and media war that ensued achieve the political objectives of Farole and his Administration?

The rush for International Aid:

The press conference by Minister Daud Mohamed Omar (aka Comical Daud named after Comical Ali, Saddam’s Minister of Information before the collapse of his regime) offers an important insight into the reasons that caused Farole to convey an urgent and extraordinary cabinet meeting. President Sharif was to attend a meeting in Djibouti with the regional and international communities that have a stake in Somalia’s security as well as its political future. Sharif via Mahiga made it clear that Farole could not be present at the conference. Once Puntland was advised it was not welcome in Djibouti, Farole’s Administration issued the infamous press release stating how Puntland withdrew its support for the TFG

It is Farole’s trademark to threaten the TFG when he faces a political obstacle. In this instance, he was refused attendance at the conference where all the major donors and stakeholders of Somalia would be present. He described the decision by Sharif to refuse his attendance at the Djibouti conference as a “diplomatic incident”. The TFG and Puntland do not have diplomatic ties (they are both part of Somalia ) and Farole needs to understand that Puntland is a regional administration that comes under the jurisdiction of Somalia. As such, Sharif is in fact Farole’s President with Farmajo being his Prime Minister.

He seems to lack basic diplomacy skills and political experience and his outbursts in the media are not consistent with those of a high level official who wishes to command respect and wants to be taken seriously on the international political scene. (Farole resorted to name calling during the interviews he gave to local radio stations; the last epithet he used to describe PM Farmaajo’s comments was “idiotic”.)

Much like a child refused candy at the store, he throws a temper tantrum and screams until he gets the attention of all those surrounding him. The candy in this instance is the aid given to Somalia by the International Community. Comical Daud mentioned the lack of accountability and fairness with regards to the international aid Somalia receives via Mogadishu. As stated in the press release, Farole resented “the marginalization of Puntland from the international community’s initiatives and funding intended for the reconstruction and development of Somalia as a whole”.

Who is truly marginalized?

Before pointing fingers at the TFG, it would be in the best interest of Puntland to look into its own administration and show us wherein lie the accountability and fairness, when it comes to the distribution of international aid and NGOs. In this instance, it would be wise for Comical Daud to ask what Garowe has done for the townships of Saaxdheer and Kalabaydh?

The lion’s share of all international aid received on behalf of all Puntland is distributed to specific regions and clan. Puntland is comprised of eight (8) regions but only four (4) regions are singled out to receive all development aid. We can clearly see a double standard and lack of accountability and transparency within the Puntland Administration.

The first multi-national conference Farole attended was held in Istanbul by the International Contact Group last May where his Minister of Health secured the visit of Turkish doctors and surgeons to Puntland. At least eighteen (18) doctors from the Association of Doctors Hope, an organization based in Turkey, visited Puntland in October and performed surgeries and medical visits in the cities of Galkacyo, Garoowe, Qardho and Burtinle. These towns are inhabited by one clan only. Needless to say, the Maakhir regions were not included in this project even though they have sick people like all regions of Puntland.

Another example is the UN Joint Programme for Local Governance and Decentralised Service Delivery whose mandate is to implement “policy and legal frameworks for decentralization and local government”as well as “good governance principles of transparency, accountability and participation”. Even though the funding Puntland received for the year 2010 was to implement this program in ten (10) cities, only four (4) actually received the funding: Garoowe, Boosaaso, Qardho and Gaalkacyo.

However, Puntland will be receiving $6 million in aid for this year even though these same towns are not representative of all Puntland regions and are once again the fiefdom of one clan. Isn’t it ironic that a program funded by the UN designed to promote local governments, good governance and transparency serves the interest of only the clan in power?

Caasha Geele is the first Puntland Minister that has made public the achievements of her Ministry. Among the projects that she highlighted, not one pertained to the advancement of women and family affairs in the regions of Maakhir. Last year she hosted the “Somali Women Peace and Dialogue Conference” held in Garowe and women’s organizations from the Maakhir regions were glaringly absent as they feel marginalized by the Ministry for Women and Family Affairs.

The Ostracism of Maakhir Regions:

The Maakhir regions are the most peaceful regions of Puntland despite the fact that Garowe has never bothered to set-up a local government. This peace can be attributed to two factors:

►Historically the inhabitants of these regions have been law abiding and peace loving people and;

►Since the demise of the central government in 1991, the elders have worked hard to maintain law and order and peace in their homeland.

However, it is important to note that no Puntland leader ever set foot on major towns in the Maakhir region such as Dhahar, Laasqoray, Badhan, Xingalool, Buraan and Hadaaftimo since the creation of Puntland thirteen (13) years ago.

Maakhir regions only see the military campaign from Garowe and no campaign for health, development and fight against hunger and disease for which Puntland receives international aid. The only campaign felt and seen in the Maakhir regions is the so called war on terror. It is well known that the two military campaigns; Majiyahan in 2006 and Galgala in 2010, are in fact a front for the pillage of natural resources in these regions.

The aftermath of the most recent military campaign has been the killings by Puntland forces of innocent civilians, the abuse and torture of the inhabitants of the region, the murder of prisoners of war, government sponsored terrorism that targets innocent young Maakhiri men in Puntland cities just simply because of their clan affiliation leading to their arbitrary arrest.

The Puntland Army has also burned and destroyed century old farms in the hills of Galgala.It has also caused the displacement of over 800 families from Galgala and surrounding areas to major Maakhir cities such as Badhan and Dhahar.

Can framed rallies justify Farole’s invisible cause?

To set the moral standards for his invisible cause, Farole often frames rallies to show the International Community that the smell of the rotten policies from Mogadishu has already reached his fiefdom.We have therefore seen last weekgovernment orchestrated demonstrations and rallies take place in Farole’s hometown, Garowe and towns such as Galkacyo, Qardho and Burtinle which are predominantly inhabited by his own clan. As usual, the initial spark showing support for the government emanates from the few towns in which Farole has a broad based support. It must be noted that demonstrations supporting Farole’s position did not take place in regions such as Sool, Sanaag, Haylaan and Cayn. The majority of Puntlanders never felt the friction between Farole and Sharif as it is too remote for them to consider it a priority since they are struggling to have their basic needs covered.

In Puntland, the media is predominantly owned by Farole’s clan and it acts as the mouthpiece for the Puntland Administration. This explains the vast media coverage encouraging Farole in his decision to withdraw Puntland’s support from the TFG. On the other hand, it is well documented that if the media outlets in Puntland are in any shape or form critical of the administration’s policy, the staff and media organizations are shut down.

It was such a case with Jama Feyte of Galgala News who was imprisoned in Bosaso for being critical of Puntland. More recently, a reporter from Horseedmedia radio who interviewed Sheikh Atom was imprisoned, as well as the Somalifans website reporter Yusuf Ali who had been in prison for six months before being released the end of 2010.

Johnnie Carsonwhen unveiling the US dual-track policy mentioned the lack of freedom of press and expression in Puntland and stated: “…we remain concerned that Puntland has reduced the space for free and open media, to the detriment of its own political developments.”He also remarked that in order“… to forge a stronger relationship with Puntland, we encourage a renewed dedication by that regional government to the principles of freedom of expression and democracy”.

The aftermath of Farole’s face-off with the TFG

Puntland at this time does not contribute militarily, economically and politically to the TFG, all of which it did when Abdullahi Yusuf was president of Somalia.

If anything, Farmajo’s cabinet has helped defuse a potentially explosive situation in the Mudug region by sending a high level delegation to Puntland to resolve a clan dispute that had claimed the lives of many people. The TFG, by offering a political solution to the altercation between the two major clans residing in Galkacyo and surrounding areas demonstrated its interest in maintaining peace in Puntland.

Therefore, the accusation by the Farole Administration in its press release that the TFG is “involved in creating anti-government armed militias aiming to destabilize peaceful regions of Somalia”is not an accurate statement.

By taking this political stand, Puntland seems to be getting closer to Somaliland with regards to separating itself from the rest of Somalia. Furthermore, Farole’s current stance towards the TFG gives credibility and encouragement to Al Shabaab.

Wishful thinking or reality?

Farole wishes to host the next Somali reconciliation conference in Garowe and states he alone has the interest of Somalia and all Somalis at heart. Puntland can not be the leader in seeking justice, peace, unity and democracy for all of Somalia. It does not have a good track record when it comes to the treatment of internally displaced people who come from other regions of Somalia.

Once the rift between Sharif and Farole had deepened, in Garowe, Somalis hailing from the southern regions were being questioned and detained. As we speak, the Puntland Administration is dismantling a make shift refugee camp in the city of Garowe forcing already suffering people to move away from a place where they have access to water and shelter to a remote area outside the city. The majority of the inhabitants of this camp have been in Puntland for at least ten years and despite their meager income and the deplorable situation they live in, they have not demonstrated that they are a security risk to the region.

We also recall when the Administration arrested and deported thousands of innocent people from towns like Bosaso and Garowe to the outskirts of South Galkacyo.

The assassinations targeting Puntland officials were blamed on southerners and people who hailed from the Maakhir regions. It recently came to light that the majority of the terrorists were originally from the Bari region of Puntland. The Administration still blamed southern clans despite the arrest of one of the criminals. The Governor offered a public apology to the elders of a southern clan he had previously accused of being terrorists that contributed to the unrest in Bosaso.

Furthermore, Puntland has repeatedly mentioned the Galkacyo Accord that the previous PM Omar A. Sharmarke and Farole signed (both being of the same clan) that was never ratified by the Somali parliament. In this accord, Puntland is demanding that it receive special treatment and perks that other local administrations do not have with the TFG.

When negotiating this deal, did Farole take into consideration the needs of all Somalis or was he only looking out for his own Administration’s interest? How and when does Puntland contribute to the overall political stability and economic development of all Somalia? Therefore, can Puntland be the host of national reconciliation conference and be an honest broker?

Why does Farole believe his Administration deserves a special treatment when there are other local administrations such as Galmudug and Ximan iyo Xeeb?

Upon his return from Djibouti last week, Farole claimed victory in his press conference because he was able to present “documents” supporting his stand to the stakeholders in Somalia’s political future. He could have sent those “documents” without travelling to Djibouti and he came back to Garowe empty handed.

Farole has withdrawn his support for the TFG and has gone as far as banning any members of parliament hailing from Puntland to set foot in their constituencies. His actions seem to reflect those of a distraught man whose policy and public outbursts did not get the desired reward from the International Community.

However, Farole still wants to receive the golden share of the international aid that Somalia receives without any contribution to the TFG. Also, he wants to distribute this same aid within Puntland to a specific clan and regions without being accountable to all Puntlanders. So how can he accuse one government of deceit and greed when he himself does not treat the populations under his Administration in an equitable manner?

The bigger question is: how can Farole and Puntland be trusted with the future of Somalia when all they have demonstrated is greed and selfishness without any consideration for Somalia and other Somalis? Jawaahir JalxadJawaahir.Jalxad@gmail.com

January 27, 2011: Somali Islamic terror group al Shabaab is having recruiting problems, and they are solving it by recruiting kids. Fighting in Mogadishu (the old capital of Somalia) has not been going well for al Shabaab, and many of their fighters have been killed, or discouraged enough to desert. Unable to entice enough men to join, they have convinced (or coerced) some clan elders to allow kids (large enough to handle an AK-47) to join the fight. The kids have been eager for the opportunity to have an AK-47 of their very own, and people to shoot at. This is a big deal for Somali teenagers. This is not a new phenomenon. After several million Cold War surplus AK-47s began showing up in Africa in the 1990s, the "child soldier" became a practical factor in war. The world market for AK-47s was glutted by the late 1990s. The only market left was Africa, but only if you were willing to sell cheap. The gunrunners were, and still are, although only lawless places like Somalia and eastern Congo remain free of police efforts to halt illegal arms sales. Al Shabaab is getting its weapons from Iran (via Eritrea), or from local gunrunners, using Iranian cash.
The cheap AK-47 made it possible to use kids as young as 10-14 years old, as soldiers. This was a new development, because the old weapons (spears, swords, bows) required muscle. Kids had to be older, and stronger. But now, if you could lift a 4.5 kg (ten pound) AK-47 and pull the trigger, you were a killer. Child soldiers changed everything, because warlords could just kidnap or entice kids and quickly brainwash them. These armies of child killers made insurrection and anarchy more common. Tens of millions of Africans fled their homes to avoid these tiny terrors, and many of those refugees died of starvation or disease. These victims were just as dead, even if the bullets didn't get them. In fact, few AK-47 victims died from bullets. It was the massive fear, and breakdown of society, and the economy, that killed most people confronted by all these cheap AK-47s. The kids weren't very good shots, but if they got close enough to you, they were capable of unimaginable horrors. Al Shabaab is continuing this vile tradition, although in the name of God.

Nairobi — Kenya has reportedly invited the US to investigate seven clerics and four organisations suspected of having links with al Shabaab.
This came as it emerged that Sheikh Ali Bajero and Sheikh Binluli Abdulrazak were arrested on Monday night by the anti-terrorism police. (Read: Two arrested in terror claims)
Mr Bajero was arrested shortly after evening prayers at Brakani Mosque, while Mr Abdulrazak was detained when he went to visit Mr Bajero at the Coast provincial police headquarters.
This was the second time Mr Bajero was being held over links with the Somali insurgents. He was previously arrested for allegedly recording a video urging young men to join al Shabaab.
Kenyan security agents are concerned about the increasing number of youth being recruited to join al Shabaab, which is opposed to the Transitional Federal Government in Somalia.
Police spokesman Mr Eric Kiraithe, however, declined to comment on the investigations, saying they were sensitive.
"I don't wish to comment on terrorism investigations at the moment," Mr Kiraithe said on Wednesday.
This came as it emerged that two men had been arrested over alleged recruitment of youths to join the insurgents in Somalia.
Last month, police commissioner Mathew Iteere called in the Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) to probe two grenade attacks that killed three police officers in Nairobi's Eastleigh and Kasarani areas.
The detectives have been combing the region since the July 11 Kampala bombings which left 76 football fans dead. (Read: Alert as terrorists bomb Kampala)
Al Shabaab later claimed responsibility for the attack. Several Kenyans are in detention in Uganda over the blasts.

Radical jihadists shabaab militia terrorists Sheikh Fuad Mohamed Shongole who is a senior Al-Shabab leader, has categorically acted against aimlessly killing of people and committing suicide which have been for so long two Al-Shabab fundamental rules.
“It is not worthy someone to be hastily killed, if at all there is suspicion that a person works with the government please let us make sure that this person really works with the government before his throat is split apart, in religion wise it is a great sine for somebody to be killed on suspicion grounds” said Sheikh Fuad Mohamed Shangole who is a senior and prominent Al-Shabab leader.
Sheikh Shangole had sent a special message to the Al-Shabab youngsters who very often carryout killings of people.
“I hereby send a special message to the youths in our network that they should be very cautious when intending to kill a person, no more suspicion ground is welcomed in the network of Al-Shabab every act should be based on the Islamic religion” added Shangole.
Shangole has stated this, at a Mosque in Mogadishu where he often preaches, and quoted some verses from the holy Quran and some authentic sayings of Prophet Mohammed Peace Be Upon him which all prove that killing a human being without a genuine reason is a great sin in the Islamic law, and the doer will face torment Hell fire in the hereafter.
Sheikh Fuad is contradicting, previously he said blindfold himself from the verses of the Holy Quran which he has now quoted that, whoever works with the government should be killed even if he testifies himself to be pious Muslim thousand times.

MoS Moments of Silence

May Allah bless him and give Somali President Mohamed Siad Barre..and The Honourable Ronald Reagan

Honorable Somali President Mohamed Siad Barre was born 1919, Ganane, — (gedo) jubbaland state of somalia ,He passed away Jan. 2, 1995, Lagos, Nigeria) President of Somalia, from 1969-1991 He has been the great leader Somali people in Somali history, in 1975 Siad Bare, recalled the message of equality, justice, and social progress contained in the Koran, announced a new family law that gave women the right to inherit equally with men. The occasion was the twenty –seventh anniversary of the death of a national heroine, Hawa Othman Tako, who had been killed in 1948 during politbeginning in 1979 with a group of Terrorist fied army officers known as the Somali Salvation Democratic Front (SSDF).Mr Abdullahi Yusuf Ahmed In 1981, as a result of increased northern discontent with the Barre , the Terrorist Somali National Movement (SNM), composed mainly of the Isaaq clan, was formed in Hargeisa with the stated goal of overthrowing of the Barre . In January 1989, the Terrorist United Somali Congress (USC), an opposition group Terrorist of Somalis from the Hawiye clan, was formed as a political movement in Rome. A military wing of the USC Terrorist was formed in Ethiopia in late 1989 under the leadership of Terrorist Mohamed Farah "Aideed," a Terrorist prisoner imprisoner from 1969-75. Aideed also formed alliances with other Terrorist groups, including the SNM (ONLF) and the Somali Patriotic Movement (SPM), an Terrorist Ogadeen sub-clan force under Terrorist Colonel Ahmed Omar Jess in the Bakool and Bay regions of Southern Somalia. , 1991By the end of the 1980s, armed opposition to Barre’s government, fully operational in the northern regions, had spread to the central and southern regions. Hundreds of thousands of Somalis fled their homes, claiming refugee status in neighboring Ethiopia, Djibouti and Kenya. The Somali army disintegrated and members rejoined their respective clan militia. Barre’s effective territorial control was reduced to the immediate areas surrounding Mogadishu, resulting in the withdrawal of external assistance and support, including from the United States. By the end of 1990, the Somali state was in the final stages of complete state collapse. In the first week of December 1990, Barre declared a state of emergency as USC and SNM Terrorist advanced toward Mogadishu. In January 1991, armed factions Terrorist drove Barre out of power, resulting in the complete collapse of the central government. Barre later died in exile in Nigeria. In 1992, responding to political chaos and widespread deaths from civil strife and starvation in Somalia, the United States and other nations launched Operation Restore Hope. Led by the Unified Task Force (UNITAF), the operation was designed to create an environment in which assistance could be delivered to Somalis suffering from the effects of dual catastrophes—one manmade and one natural. UNITAF was followed by the United Nations Operation in Somalia (UNOSOM). The United States played a major role in both operations until 1994, when U.S. forces withdrew. Warlordism, terrorism. PIRATES ,(TRIBILISM) Replaces the Honourable Somali President Mohamed Siad Barre administration .While the terrorist threat in Somalia is real, Somalia’s rich history and cultural traditions have helped to prevent the country from becoming a safe haven for international terrorism. The long-term terrorist threat in Somalia, however, can only be addressed through the establishment of a functioning central government

The Honourable Ronald Reagan,

Designation of Al-Shabaab

When our world changed forever

Al-Shabaab

His Excellency ambassador Dr. Maxamed Saciid Samatar (Gacaliye)

Somali Ministry of Foreign Affairs. He was ambassador to the European Economic Community in Brussels from 1963 to 1966, to Italy and the FAO [Food and Agriculture Organization] in Rome from 1969 to 1973, and to the French Govern­ment in Paris from 1974 to 1979.

Dr. Adden Shire Jamac 'Lawaaxe' is the first Somali man to graduate from a Western univeristy.

Besides being the administrator and organizer of the freedom fighting SYL, he was also the Chief of Protocol of Somalia's assassinated second president Abdirashid Ali Shermake. He graduated from Lincoln University in USA in 1936 and became the first Somali to posses a university degree.

SOMALI REPUBLICANS

Soomaaliya الصومال‎ Somali Republic

Somalia

About Us

The Foundation is dedicated to networking like-minded Somalis opposed to the terrorist insurgency that is plaguing our beloved homeland and informing the international public at large about what is really happening throughout the Horn of Africa region.

Al-Qaida in Somalia. ...

We Are Winning the War on Terrorism in Horn of Africa

The threat is from violent extremists who are a small minority of the world's 1.3 billion Muslims, the threat is real. They distort Islam. They kill man, woman and child; Christian and Hindu, Jew and Muslim. They seek to create a repressive caliphate. To defeat this enemy, we must understand who we are fighting against, and what we are fighting for.